Introverts Guide to #NACE14

Taking a break from my social recruiting series to share some thoughts for my fellow introverts attending #NACE14.

On most tests, I am an “off-the-charts” introvert who takes after his father. There are people who write “don’t eat alone” and who encourage you to network, network, network. Not me. I don’t know about my fellow introverts, but I like a little quiet time to recharge the batteries before going back into a room of hundreds of people. I eat alone quite often, especially when I have been around a lot of people. It helps me relax and renew.

So, here are my introverted best practices for conference survival:

Schedule quiet time throughout the day—Go to the NACE Conference Scheduler and pick out your absolute must-attend workshops and see if you can carve out some quality time for yourself in between those sessions.

Be selective with your networking time—Don’t try to meet everyone, but in good introvert style, get to know a few individuals really well; connect with someone you want to get to know better.

Don’t be afraid to find quiet corners at a reception—Try to entice someone to speak with you one-on-one rather than insert yourself in a circle of individuals talking. If you want, you can talk to me as I am usually quietly positioned in a corner.

GO BIG at least once during the conference—Grab a group of friends and get out on that dance floor and dance, I say, dance!

Spend more time networking one-on-one—It is easier to strike up a conversation with someone sitting next to you before/after a workshop than in a big networking session, so start there. Make a point to meet at least one new person and get to know him/her really well each day.

Get outside and take a walk—The Riverwalk is an introvert’s dream come true, as there are many stretches with beautiful scenery and not a lot of people. I know from experience. It can be a very calming and relaxing spot.

Above all else, spend time learning and connecting. As introverts, we don’t have to meet everyone, just a few people who we will get to know very well.

Looking forward to seeing you all at #NACE14 in San Antonio! Look for me in a corner or at a table by myself and come say hello. Stay tuned for more insights into my journey into social recruiting as well as observations from the conference.

Don’t forget, I am presenting on Tuesday. The session is entitled “Everyone is a Recruiter” and will look at building social recruiting practices and engaging your employee base to help ensure success. (“Everyone Is a Recruiter” will be presented on Tuesday, June 10, at 3:30 p.m. See the #NACE14 Itinerary Builder for details.)

Attend Christopher Carlson’s session and take a selfie with him! A selfie with a session presenter is one of the 10 items to collect in the #NACE14 Scavenger Hunt!

Thanks Steve. I guess I don’t understand your comment. Why is it hard to believe? Introverts are simply people that need alone time to recharge their batteries. Introverts can be very outgoing, listen and assess candidates extremely well, can network very genuinely as we get to know people very well. All-in-all, some of the very best recruiters I know are introverts. When my day-to-day job consisted of recruiting, I made sure I had time in the day to do deep dives into resumes, research competitors, generate lists and learn about those skills for which I was recruiting. I then made sure I had alone time after work to recharge a little before I dove into full days of phone calling.